Hi all. My sons hamster was dead this morning when we got up. It was over 2 yrs old so we knew it was on the cards but now its actually happened he is absolulty distraught. He cried all morning, on the way 2 school and even at school. I spoke 2 his teacher and she said he wil be better off at school than at home as it will take his mind off of it but she said he wil prob b upset again as soon as he gets home. Does anyone hav any advice on what i should do? Ive put it in a little box but is burying it really a good idea or not? I dont kno if i should just get rid of it so there is no evidence of it when he gets in but then again he might want 2 say goodbye 2 it. Nikki x

mylillamb

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Joined: 29 Oct 2007

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:00 amPost subject: xx

hiya im not a mum yet but i no when i was a kid and one of our pets died we always hada funreal 4 it in the back garden.....it helped us say goodbye and no that it was layed 2 rest propley...also i used 2 go out and talk 2 them wen i was upset ....lol.

i think waiting and burying it all together will be best x

ch4rli3

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Joined: 21 Feb 2008

Posts: 655

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:05 amPost subject:

hey
ahhhhhhh
i agree with lil lamb.... id talk 2 him wen he gets in from school and say u thought it would be nice if u had a little 'goodbye' time with his hamster.and bury him in the garden .....
poor littlen..... iv got all this 2 come
I hope hes ok xx_________________

Nikki77

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Posts: 1922

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:09 amPost subject:

Thanks 4 u both 4 that, i wil do that then. I just hate him being so upset. My youngest son was not that bothered but he is only 5 so prob 2 young 2 understand x

Huntermac

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:09 amPost subject:

Goodbye time sounds like the way. I was allowed to bury my 3 cats in the garden and choose a wee plant to put with them. Was a special place to go and talk to them too. Maybe he could make a wee plarc (spelling!!!) to put with it? Depends on what he would like to do but if you can, give him the chance to decide. Very sad. _________________

Nikki77

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:18 amPost subject:

Thats a good idea. He would lik doing that. Or a plant might also b a nice idea. Ill let him decide x

Huntermac

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:20 amPost subject:

Can you let us know how you get on? If you are able to that is. Would be nice to know what to expect, Im sure I will be facing the same thing one day _________________

Luckyducky

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:50 amPost subject:

Poor thing. Definately would go with the funeral. Being a teacher myself, have seen lots of children who have lost pets, and it always seems better for them to be able to say goodbye. Good luck. LD

Nikki77

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:56 amPost subject:

Yes huntermac ill let u kno how it goes. Im dreading it tho. Thanks luckyduck. His teacher was really good about it so as u say, like u, she is probably used 2 things lik this unlike us parents! X

MummaT

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Joined: 05 Jan 2008

Posts: 411

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:18 amPost subject:

A funeral is a great idea. I personaly thing that its great for kids to have pets and to lose them as it helps them deal with death and enables them to understand it more when other people die.

I'm sure your son will be fine and if he feels that he had a part to play in the funeral it should enable him to deal with the situation better.

Good luck as I'm sure he'll still be really upset whatever you end up doing _________________

dawnb

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:52 amPost subject:

definatly go with the funeral idea, when my daughters rabbit dies we had a funeral and buried him in the garden. she daelt with it alot better... we also got her another rabbit which helped as she missed him so much. x_________________

jamester

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Joined: 11 Apr 2008

Posts: 11

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:06 pmPost subject:

I think a little burial is the way to go imo, what we always used to do.

On a practical note, if you have foxes round your way put a stone over where you bury your pet. When we were kids we buried a rabbit (not deep enough), the foxes dug him up and next day there were bits of rabbit scattered round the garden!! Not nice!!

Nikki77

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:10 pmPost subject:

We hav buried her now. It was very sad. My son sat 4 half an hr with his hamster in a little box that we hav put her in. He sat stroking her. Not sure if thats a good or bad thing but he wanted 2. He wrote a note saying he will never forget her and wil always love her (thats the bit that got me crying!) and when he was ready we buried her. Ive never seen him cry so much. My other son being as tactful as he is, turned round and said "mum what pet are we getting next!" we are going 2 make a little cross and put it where she is buried x

Archie1

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:24 pmPost subject:

Aww bless him! What a sensitive little soul to write the little note!

I used to have rabbits and we had 7. Every year one would die but it was odd that the oldest one was 10yrs old the last to go. When he died I was 17 and was so upset and wanted to hold him before we buried him........bad idea!!! I was holding him and a bit of air escaped somewhere and he twitched and groaned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dropped him and ran away screaming like a banshee to my dad that he was possessed! I wish i'd just petted him in a box like the other ones! xxxxxxx_________________I'm not on here all the time so if you need anything PM me Arch x

Nikki77

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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:43 pmPost subject:

I did worry about her being dug up my an animal, we dont hav foxes around here but there r lots of cats about. I just hope she is deep enough! That must hav been awful having rabbit all around ur garden. Hopefully molly the hamster wil stay safe and buried. Yeah archie, he is very sensitive. Thats funny u should say that tho about the air as molly hybernated (spelt wrong i kno!) a while back and thought she had died. She kept making the odd twitch momenent and every now and then ud c her breathin. I rang the vet and she said they spasm 4 a few hrs after dying so we were just about 2 bury her when she jumped out of box and was alive and well!